Owlboy has finally been released after its long 9-year development process by D-Pad Studio. Owlboy is available on Steam, GOG.com, and Humblebundle.com. Owlboy is an adventure game that revolves around the main character Otus. The game tells the story of the mute Otus and his struggles with the expectations that come along with owl-hood and his eventual coming of age. Otus must fight in tandem with his friends against sky pirates who have suddenly appeared and threaten the world he inhabits. What comes next is an adventure through ruins, fights with monsters, interesting encounters, and a storyline full of secrets that unfold as the player progresses.
Owlboy’s gameplay revolves around flight based platforming. The player can fly around as much as they please but cannot actually engage in combat. They can however pick up a variety of allies. The different allies have different abilities and help the player strategically make their way through and explore the vast world in the clouds. Each level has its own obstacles and challenging boss battles. The flying aspect of the game gives it a unique feel in the world of platformers. From a gameplay stand point this game takes it in a direction that feels new and genuinely interesting.
Owlboy describes itself as a “Hi-bit” video game, a name which it definitely has earned. Owlboy’s sprites and backgrounds are absolutely beautiful. This game boasts an incredible visual style that goes beyond the usual minimal 8 bit design that a lot of indie developers tend to fall into. The game instead goes for lush, vivid pixel based designs that truly take full advantage of the medium. The developers themselves refer to the art style as a “love letter to pixel art for a new audience.” The art design for this game is enough to warrant interest. A trailer for Owlboy can be seen below.